1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sanitized water dispensers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dispensing ozone to the reservoir of a water dispenser that dispenses water for human consumption, wherein an improved diffuser of an ozone resistant porous polymer material receives ozone gas and dispenses very tiny bubbles into the water contained in the reservoir.
2. General Background of the Invention
Patents have issued for systems that dispense ozone to a water dispenser so that the ozone sanitizes any water that it is to be subsequently dispensed to and consumed by a user.
Other patents have issued that relate to polymeric diffuser materials.
The following U.S. patents of Table 1 are possibly relevant to the present invention and incorporated herein by reference:
TABLE 1ISSUE DATEPAT. NO.TITLEMM-DD-YYYY2,297,248Porous Materials and Process of09-29-1942Making3,007,334Method and Apparatus for11-07-1961determining the Maximum PoreSize of Hydraulic FilterElements3,166,615Method of Forming Porous Rigid01-19-1965Structures3,238,056Microporous Materials and03-01-1966Process of Making the Same3,246,767Fluid-Permeable Materials and04-19-1966Process of Making the Same3,353,682Fluid-Permeable Fibrous11-21-1967Multilayer Materials and Processof Making the Same3,416,776Device for Aerating, Preferably,12-17-1968Waste Water3,520,418Filter Elements and the07-14-1970Manufacture Thereof3,538,020Fluid Purification Device11-03-1970Containing a Cartridge ofPolymer Entrapped AggregateParticles3,603,509Gas Dispersing Apparatus09-07-19713,644,231Porous Member for Diffusing Air02-22-1972and Process for Producing theSame3,825,640Process for Manufacturing a07-23-1974Porous, Solid, Article3,978,176Sparger08-31-19764,082,893Porous Polytetrafluoroethylene04-04-1978Tubings and Process of ProducingThem4,382,867In Place Gas Cleaning of05-10-1983Diffusion Elements5,262,096Gas Diffusion Article11-16-19935,422,043Diffuser and Diffusing Method06-06-1995Using Dual Surface Tensions5,431,861Method and Apparatus for07-11-1995Producing a High ConcentrationOzone Water Solution5,858,283Sparger01-12-19995,863,576Water Ozonation Treatment11-04-1997Apparatus6,481,219Disinfection System and Method11-19-2002of Using Same6,561,382Method and Apparatus for05-13-2003Disinfecting a Water Cooler andits Dispensing Spigot(s)6,568,900Pressure Swing Contactor for the05-27-2003Treatment of a Liquid with a Gas
Some porous polymer gas diffuser materials have been used in an air to water diffusion environment such as in an aquarium. One such aquarium air diffuser device is sold by Regent Pet Products of Moore Park, Calif. and sold under the trademarks Aquatech™, and Bubble Curtain™.
Incorporated herein by reference are all of our prior patents, patent applications, and published patent applications, including the following:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/457,365, filed 13 Jul. 2006, issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 7,748,233; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/220,554, filed on Dec. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,540; PCT/US99/27248, filed on Nov. 17, 1999, and published as WO 2000/38815 on Jul. 6, 2000; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/472,320, filed on Dec. 23, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,690; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/881,796, filed on Jun. 15, 2001, published as 2003-0000966 A1 on Jan. 2, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,382; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/954,849, filed on Sep. 18, 2001, published as 2002-0069664 A1 on Jun. 13, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,760; PCT/US02/19158, filed on Jun. 17, 2002, and published as WO 2002/02706 on Dec. 27, 2002; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/463,870, filed on Jun. 17, 2003, and published as 2004-0074252 A1 on Apr. 22, 2004, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/389,439, filed on Jun. 18, 2002, now expired; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/875,078, filed on Jun. 23, 2004, and published as 2005-0087554 A1 on Apr. 28, 2005; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/967,812, filed on Oct. 16, 2004, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/511,986, filed on Oct. 16, 2003, now expired; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/109,913, filed on Apr. 20, 2005, and published as 2005-0236432 A1 on 10-27-2005, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/564,178, now expired; PCT/US05/14118, filed on Apr. 21, 2005.